Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 289 — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

et. ~ } 9 : _ man was so unlike my brother David that it seemed strange to me that he should be hisson, Now itis all explained, He is nothing to me, and has not the slightest claim upon me. Quite the contrary. 1 am very thankful that I learned the truth before it was too late. Henning, you will greatly oblige me if you will go and see whether that young man is in the house.” " ‘You must not have him in here to excite you, ordered Dr. Addis. ‘**1 don’t want him to come in here, I only want to know.” Fred Henning returned after a while with the in- telligence that the ci-derant Paul Delarosse was no- where about the premises. He had come running to the house an hour or so ago, from the d'rection of the garden, and had hast- ened to his room, : Shortly he had come down-stairs, carrying a bun- dle, and had left the house without saying a word to anybody, and no person knew whither he had one. ae He must have overheard something, Brayham, either here or yonder,”’ said Mr. Delarosse. “Tt looks as if he had gota hint, somehow. I think he has cleared out,”” ‘“‘Itis better so. Nobody here will care to find him and bring him back. I feel much better, doctor, though I know that I am not long for this world. AllT want now is to see that lawyer.” - —_———— SN OS —_—_—— Flush Fred’s Full Hand. In fact, nothing had been seen of him by any of | the people at Gravelly Bayou since his sudden exit from the house at the time of the exposure of his false pretensions. It had been discovered that he had carrled away a —————— portion of his clothing, as well as all the valuables of | which he was possessed. His departure grieved nobody, and nobody showed the least desire for his return; but it was natural to | wonder what had become of him. “*T think be has gone to join his father,”’ said Fred Henning, in reply to one of General Brayham’s sug- gestions. I don’t know where else he would be likely to goto. Itis probable that they have both left the country before now.” “We must make sure of that, though,”’ “Yes; we owe it to the memory of our dead friend to move in that matter.” After the funeral Kate Helmsley thought it proper that she should leave Gravelly Bayou and take up her residence with Mrs, Brenner. As Mrs. Brayham was of 4he same opinion, and Mrs, Brenner was pressing in her importunities, she | prepared to go, Mrs. Brenner coming in her own | ' | be backed in any dangerous undertaking. conveyance to bring her chy § It had been arranged by General Brayham, who was the executor of the will of Leon Delarosse, that the Gravelly Bayou property should remain for the present under the care and control of Fred | Henning. So it was that Kate, when she went away, hada | “Another messenger has been sent to Vidalia,” | answered Dr. Addis, about it.” *Oh, Iam not worrying now.” Old Dinah came up to the house, and was provided with good quarters by the direction of General Brayham, who gave orders that all her wants should be supplied. The lawyer from Vidalia at last arrived, and Leon Delarosse was engaged with him for quite a while, Dr, Addis remaining in the room to take care that his ig should not overdo himself. At the close of the conference he was ordered to rest, as he was failing ra cian’s duty to husband h The next mornin “I wish you would not worry J idly, and it was the physi- s remaining strength. he sent for Kate Helmsley and pred, Henning, and Dr, Addis brought them to his side. *T have been making a new will,”’ said he. “You ought not to worry yourself by talking | about your affairs,’’ protested Kate. you—and If want to speak to you about it. I know that I must soon leave you; but my mind is easy now, and I am more content to die than I would ‘have been before the disclosure that was made yes- terday, I was haunted by the thought that it was my duty to provide fora person who was in every way distasteful tome. But he has been proved to be a swindler, and I am rid of that affliction.” “If you keep on as you have begun, you will talk yourself to death,”’ suggested th yee I like to congratulate myself. The thought that Ihave been permitted to outlive and correct that bays’ ¥ istake ~y" very oe atl to he. As I was ay ng, ave made @ new will, and am thoro satisfied with it, tk *‘T have left all that I possess in two undivided portions. be** Half of it is to go to one who has greatly cheered and brightened my latter days—my dear friend’s daughter, Kate crea & “The other half is to become the property of as brave and true and good a man as I ever met, whom i have been proud to call my friend—Fred Henning. **Some of my neighbors might find fault with me for spiistiur the estate; but [I have done so in the hope that those who are to inherit it may see fit to join the severed parts by becoming man and wife. “Old as I am, I have not lost my interest in young folks and their, ways, and I feel that there is Siac Liphaing tas. 4: anidk bad ini enn east a quick an er ce at Kate, who blushed and lobiced Fs . Then she fell on her knees at the bedside, and Whee fetes tte dear?’ asked the old e matter, my dear?’’ as the o entleman, as he laid his thin hand on her head. “I ope I have not done anything to trouble you.” Oh, no,” she sobbed, “Iam grieved to feel that you must leave us, You have been so good to m and I have learned to love you so much, and! ive brought nothing to you bu nand death. Here you lie, murdered, and it is all because I came here.” “No, no, Kate. You are entirely mistaken. It is on my account that you have been persecuted. I see it all plainly now, All the harm that was done to you and me was meant to help that swindler, They wanted to kill me while his position was be- lieved to be secure. You must not allow such thoughts to worry ? Nae I have losta nephew, but have gained a dear daughter, if not a son.’ ene Srlended his hand to Fred Henning, who pressed ntly. The hope T spoke of,”’ continued the old geutile- man, ‘I have mentioned in my will; but itis not a condition, and you are both free to do as you please. You may go now, Fred, and leave Kate with me. Her presence is very soothing to me.” After Leon Delarosse had made his wi!], and had oat bon By ae > known oe those who were - Be n ‘Sunk ra , passing peacefu into the nnknewa world, . cad iad . " On the third day he died, parting with his life easily and tranquilly, his last words breathing kind- ness to Kats and thoughtfulness for her future. ppben the Gravelly Bayou mansion became a house of mourning. There was not a person on the plantation—except rhaps, the inah’s son Jim—who did not mourn h that of a true and generous friend, or a liberal master, Mae esti aie “i — ioe Ne hoe anters and others in the vicinity was proy he large attendance at his funeral, and y the oY pressions of sorrow for his loss that came from all sorts and conditions of people. At the same time there was expressed a general] resolve on the part of the community to hunt down the murderer and make him pay the penalty of his The fraudulent himself at the fu ° nephew did not venture to present neral. | | | | risoner Nero, but not Sgt ae old | parting word to say to him on that subject. ‘“*As you are to be left in charge,” said she, “I hope you will take good care of my share of the property.” **T promise you thatI will take as good care of your share as of my own,” replied Fred. ‘* Well, I don’t see how you can help doing that, as you would find it impossible to distinguish between my share and yours.’ ‘For my part, Ihave no wish to separate them. To satisfy you that Iam doing the fair thing, I will ride over and report to you every day.”’ “That would neverdo. You would have no time | | other.”" left to take care of the property.” ‘*But I must come and report.” “You ought to, I should say, but not quite every day.” 3 Fred was looking mournfully after the depart- | ing vole General Brayham slapped him on the | _ shoulder. “ But thisis a matter that concerns you—both of | “When are you going to marry that girl, Hen- ning?’’ demanded the veteran. “T don’t know, ‘I wish I did know. I wish I knew whether I am ever to marry her.” “Are you not fond of her?” ‘**Immensely.”’ ‘* And she is fond of you.” **Do you think so, general?” “itis easy enough to see that. Have you never asked her?” ‘* No. indeed.” “Why not?” “Tam afraid.” “Come, now, Henning, that won't do. You fora brave man, and I have reason to believe that you are brave,”’ “Perhaps lam, after a fashion; but I must con- fess that lam not brave in that way. I have not met Miss Helmsley here for the first time, general. I became acquainted with her at her home in Ten- nessee, and I knew then that she was the only wo- manin the world tome. But she came of a good and proud family, while I was worse than nobody—a river gambler. 1 could not hope to win her. and I went away from her. But fate has thrown us to- gether again, and now we are tied up in the will of our dead friend.” ‘‘Just so, and the gambling business need no fe 43 stand in your way, as you are well out of ‘But, general, if I should speak to her now, she might feel herself, as I may say, under the compul- sion of the will,”’ ‘*Nonsense! You will be a fool, to speak plainly, if you don’t make a break and get her while you can 9 “That settles it, then. I should hate to be con- sidered a fool as well as a coward.” CHAPTEK XXXV. A SIEGE IN A SWAMP, Berore Fred Henning could muster up courage enough to ‘‘ make a break,’ a matter of such impor- oo that it could not be neglected claimed his at- tention. This was nothing less than the pursuit and capture of Jonas Hexamer. After the funeral of Leon Delarosse the planters of the vicinity had organized themselves into a vigi- lance committee for the purpose of hunting down the murderer of their old neighbor and friend. They had made careful investigations at all the ana within a range of twenty miles up and down the river, and along all the roads that led from Gravelly Bayou in Boy direction. They could not discover from these inquiries that either Jonas Hexamer or Paul Delarosse—to give them the names by which they had thus far n known—had left that part of the country by any traveled route. Co uently it was at least possible that they were still in the vicinity, and the searchers scoured the forests and swamps in all directions in the hope of finding them. | Jack Poindexter was the man who first got track of them, and it was he who brought the news to Gravelly Bayou, He had made it his task to watch the island iw loss as | the swamp which had been the refuge of the kindand Moccasins, scouting and spying about there both day | | and night. held by the | His patient vigilance had at last been rewarded by a sight of Paul, and afterward he had seen Hexamer ere. A party had been at once made up to go into the swamp to capture them, and Hpi SA rat a had come to Gravelly Bayou to invite Fred Henning to join the party. “It is strange that they are here yet,’ said Fred. ‘I shoul ne ay that they would both have — try best time they could in getting out of the 4 e® é, ay - PG es ot: LL LLL LLL LLL LL LL A ett 23 — ** Perhaps they have not been able to get away,’’ suggested Poindexter. ‘*The Hexamer scoundrel looked to me as if he was sick, or had been sick. I was near enough to him to kill him in his tracks, but did not do so as we want to save him for the rope. From his condition, as it appeared to me, we ought to be able to take fin easily enough.” ‘“‘lam not sure of that. I am inclined to believe that he will fight as long as there is breath in his body. But we must go and get him.” Poindexter’s had been pt gata as the starting- epee for the expedition, and Flush Fred rode over here the next morning, armed and equipped as the occasion required. Dennis Malone was anxious to go; but he was not yet permitted to get away from the care of ee though he could sit up and walk about a ittie, Dirah’s Jim would have been wiles to act as guide to the intricacies of the swamp; but he, also, was not yet in a condition for such service. At Pomndexter’s Fred found twenty men assem- bled—men of the sort by which one would wish to All were armed with rifles, and they only awaited the arrival of Fred Henning to start for the swamp. “There seem to be enough of us,”’ remarked Fred, as he cast his eyes over this formidable ar- ray. ‘In numbers there is strength," Mag Major Poindexter, who had been chosen as the leader of the band. * We don’t want to miss any chances and we ought to have enough men to guard all the points of escape. You know, Mr. Hi nning, that two men, we osted, can make a :trong fight, and it is quite likely that we may find a few re pies runaway niggers at the point we are aim- ng for.”’ . “No doubt you are right, major. It is a good thing to have plenty of men, and at the same time it is a good thing to act quickly.” - “That is just what we mean to do, and I think you will see that we won't get in the way of each They made good time to the swamp, and when they reached the lagoon Major Poindexter’s plan was speedily developed. He stationed about half of his foree at various points in the swamp, so that they could command the island with their rifles from al) directions. The remainder he kept together for the purpose of a direct attack. Then came the yr eengin of reaching the objective po'nt of the expedition. The island lay in the middle of the dark and still lagoon, at close range for rifles, but decidedly diffi- cult of access. It was known by Kate’s account of her arrival and departure that there was a portion of the lagoon where the Moccasins had been accustomed to wade without ging in passing to and from the island; but the caretul search of the white nen failed to discover it. The water, as far as they could see, was too dee for wading, with a bottom that was very soft uncertain, to say nothing of the reptiles with which the YAM abounded. It was the current belief that between fa srake of the water moccasin variety and a runaway negro there existed such a sympathy that neither of them would hurt the other; but the white men had no cause to consider themselves similarly protected by Providence. - To bring skiffs from the bayou it would have been necessary to cut a road for hauling them lagoon, and that would have been a work of time and labor. care before he started, From his son Jack's report he had gota good idea of the island aud the lagoon aioend it, - and had formed his conclusions accordingly. Several of the men were armed with axes, as well ls rifles, and the axes were speedily brought nto play. A point was selected that was as neer tothe island as any, where two tall cypress trees were growing close together. Axmen were set at work tocut down the two trees so that they would fall into the water in the direc- tion of the island. Atthe same time men were stationed near ' them with cocked rifles, to watch the island closely and guard them against attack. Up to this time there had been no sign of life on the island; but, when the work upon the trees be- gan, a shot was fired from among the dense foliage over there, slightly wounding one of the axmen. _ The shot was instantly replied to by at least half a dozen rifles, and nothing more was heard that quarter for a while. “They are there!’ shouted Major Poindexter, and © the knowledge of this fact spurred all the party to increased exertions. Soon one of the tall cypresses fell, and then an- other. This work had been done so apis and with such good judgment, that they fell side side and close together, covering the greater of the space between their stumps and the island. When the axmen started out on the trunks to trim off the branches, the island woke up, and a vigorous attack was made upon the intruders. To this the latter replied in such lively st = on abou they kept upa continual cracking of rifles the island, It did not take them long to discover who their opponents were, and how many there were of them, | * There’s a nigger!’ shouted Jack Poindexter, who was noted as being a very sharp-sighted young man. “And there's Hexamer,” said Fred Henning, the only one of the party who knew by sight the man they were pore: It was evident that there were but two rifles in use on the island, and consequently Hexamer and the black were the only fighting men there. : But there could be no doubt that they meant to struggle to the last extremity. One of the axmen was badly wounded; but the fire of one of the rifles on the island was soon si- lenced, and by the time the cypresses were trimmed there was no more firing from that quarter. _ ‘comicbook a> ) Pet A ee OP ot Ty no little Major Poindexter had consicered the question s.com : Gar. O * 4* > = 4, 4 , ‘ ’ an a ¢ $c.- wa | Ss